5 open-source tools every developer should know

Shahan Chowdhury

3 min readNov 2, 2024

🔑 Key Concepts

Every programmer needs some efficient tools to help them write code, test it, and work with others.

Some of these tools are open-source, which means anyone can use them for free.

In this article, we’ll talk about the top 5 open-source tools every developer should know.

1. Git 🗂️

Imagine you’re drawing on a whiteboard and want to go back and see what you did earlier — Git helps you do that.

It’s a version control system, which means it helps track changes in your code, allows you to see older versions, and makes it easy to work with other people on the same project.

🔥What makes it great? You can try out new ideas without messing up the old version. If you don’t like the new version, you can just go back and start over.
🧯Why do you need it? Because it keeps your work safe and helps you manage different versions of your project.

2. Visual Studio Code 📝

Visual Studio Code (or VS Code) is one of the most popular code editors. It’s an open-source code editor that helps you type faster, catch errors, and even test your code.

It works on Windows, Mac, and Linux, so no matter what kind of computer you have, it’ll work for you.

🦹‍♂️What makes it popular? You can change how it looks and add features with extensions.
🔫Why do you need it? It makes writing and fixing code easier and more fun.

3. Docker 🚢

Docker is a container where you put your application along with everything it needs to run, like the language, libraries, and settings.

When you use Docker, you can move your application from one computer to another, and it’ll still work exactly the same!

💉What makes it mandatory? You don’t have to worry about the “it works on my computer” problem. Docker makes sure it works everywhere.
⛓️‍💥Why do you need it? It saves time and avoids compatibility issues.

4. TensorFlow 🧠

TensorFlow is a tool used for teaching computers to learn, like how your brain learns new things.

It’s mostly used for machine learning, which is how computers can learn patterns and make decisions. For example, writing a block of code to teach a computer how to recognize pictures or understand text.

🔥What makes it great? You can create really smart programs that can learn from data.
🤖Why do you need it? If you want to get into AI (Artificial Intelligence) and make machines that can think a bit like humans, TensorFlow is your go-to tool.

5. Selenium 🧪

Selenium is like a robot that tests websites for you.

If you build a website and want to make sure all the buttons work and no errors pop up, you can use Selenium to do the job automatically.

🔥What makes it best? You don’t have to test everything by yourself — Selenium can do it faster and more accurately.
🐛Why do you need it? Because it saves time and helps you find bugs quickly.

Why You Should Learn These Tools 🍂

All these tools — Git, Visual Studio Code, Docker, TensorFlow, and Selenium — are completely free to use, and they have huge communities of people who keep improving them. Knowing these tools will make you a better and more efficient developer.

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